Canceling an Agent’s Contract

“Help! My mother inherited a University City home. She’s not real estate savvy, so she asked me to handle it for her. I hired an agent and he hasn’t called us since listing the home 3 weeks ago. I’m planning to call him to find out what’s going on, but I can already tell we
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Houses vs. Condos: Which Appreciate More

“Which do you think will appreciate more, a house or a condo?” Answer: For some reason, many people automatically assume that houses appreciate more. It’s probably because houses are generally preferred over condos. However, this preference is taken into account by the fact that a house will sell for more than a condo of the
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What “Pest Control Clearance” Really Checks For

“My wife and I are looking for our first home…I heard I get something called a pest clearance with the house we buy. What is that? Do they check for ants, rats, spiders, etc.?” Answer: You’re talking about what’s commonly referred to as a “termite clearance,” but officially called a “pest control clearance.” A pest
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I need some refinance advice:

I need some refinance advice: When I bought my home in East San Diego two years ago, I had marginal credit and had to pay a higher rate. Now my credit score is way up and I’m thinking of refinancing for a lower rate. Do you agree with the ‘2% rule’ that says you should
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Value Range Pricing

Value Range Pricing: “I don’t agree with this whole value range pricing idea. It just doesn’t make any sense. No one’s ever going to pay any more than the bottom. I’d never sell my San Diego home with it.” ***ANSWER: I’m with you. And while we’re at it, I don’t agree with this whole electricity
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What does Mortgage Insurance pay for?

What does Mortgage Insurance pay for? Mortgage insurance is generally required for home loans with a “loan-to-value” ratio of over 80%. The insurance protects the lender (NOT you) should you lose your home to foreclosure. Now, to avoid paying high mortgage insurance premiums, “80-20” loans are becoming very common. A lender makes a 80% loan-to-value
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How much are Real Estate Taxes in San Diego?

California’s Proposition 13 limits your property taxes to 1% of the assessed value + voter approved local bonds, all totaling just under 1.2%. This makes your monthly property taxes easy to calculate: approximately 1/10 of 1% per month. For example, a home purchased for $600,000 has approximate taxes of $600/month. Note #1: The assessment can
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How does the VIP service work?

To search for San Diego Real Estate go to www.garykentteam.com/gkent.htm Create a VIP user account with your email address and create a password. You will be sent a link by email for confirmation. After that you can search independently and even create and store specific searches. What if I’m not finding what I want? Contact
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How can I search the San Diego Multiple Listing Service (MLS)?

Through agreements on the San Diego MLS, agents can offer limited access to all listings in the MLS. For a self-directed service we offer our VIP version of MarketWatch. Another option is to contact one of our team members at 858-457-5368 for a more detailed and customized search that is much more precise. Visit our
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What is a Buyer Agent?

The Gary Kent Team is a specialized group of Real Estate Professional. In addition to Gary Kent, there is a team of real estate “buyers” agents. Their primary focus is working with folks that want to buy homes. From the initial consultation meeting to handing you the keys to your new home their job is
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